Dave goes and sniffs her ankles. ‘He’s my mum’s. His name is Dave.’ She bends down to pet him. I can’t look up. I can’t believe he’s here.
From behind them, I see my mum and dad approaching.
‘Cameron, you made it,’ Mum says, going into air-kiss him.
What? You. You did this. He’s here. He’s not supposed to be here. But he is. Next to me. Maybe where he’s always supposed to have been.
Dad shakes his hand but pulls him in for a hug.
‘Good to see you, Johnny!’ he tells Dad, who smiles widely in response. He knows his name isn’t Fabio at least.
Mum bends down to say hello to Erin.
‘Well, kiddies,’ she says. ‘You never heard this from me, but I hear there’s going to be candyfloss in a minute, shall we go and find it?’
Mum puts a hand out to Erin whilst Vinnie takes a piggyback off Dad. Cameron looks shocked as Erin just leaves his side so easily. That’s what my mum does. She blows me a kiss and they all walk away.
‘There’s candyfloss?’ he asks.
‘There is. And a retro sweet bar and ice cream and a fish and chip van outside.’
You’re here, you’re here, you’re here. I need to be cool. Don’t list the wedding extras. I also don’t need to be pulling a face like I’m trying to work out algebra.
‘Just saying… You’re the prettiest tomato I’ve ever seen,’ Cameron says, his face rising to a blush. ‘I also see that they’re playing our song, I may have made a request.’ His fingers point into the air.
I laugh but still can’t seem to find the words, the breath, to even think straight. He’s here. He’s in a suit with his white Converse, the lights of the room bouncing off his messy hair. Standing here. With me.
‘You also look very… dapper,’ I say. ‘Bit disappointed you didn’t come in your Ghostbusters costume, though. The one thing this wedding is missing is a proton pack.’
His face lights up, the way he does when he’s really happy. ‘I’ll take dapper.’
‘Did my parents invite you?’ I ask.
He smiles broadly. ‘Oh, I’ve had about fifty invites to this thing. Your PA Michelle, your nan, your mum, your dad, your brother, your new sister, the best woman. I’ve been bombarded with messages about you. Begging me to give you another chance.’
If Sonny’s dodgy poetry didn’t set me off before, this certainly does, because the once very busy dance floor has stopped and a crowd of people look over, trying not to stare but all looking hopeful, the bride and groom included. It’s a conspiracy. What did you all do?
‘You have quite the fan club, Josie Jewell. And I’ll be frank, I’m a little scared of your nan.’ He looks over and waves at them. Everyone pretends to go back to their disco side steps. Is that Nan? She’s back? How does she know theGhostbusterssong dance?
‘They did that?’ My lip trembling.
‘If ever you need a reference, you have the best people in your life. You are so loved. It blew me away. I think so many people just want you to be happy, they feel you put so much into other people and never yourself.’
I look down to the floor as he says that, almost unable to accept the compliment.
‘And then your mum and dad invited Erin and I out for lunch, to explain, to chat.’ I jolt to hear it, they had lunch?
Looking across, I see Mum has sat Erin up on a bar area and together they share a massive stick of candyfloss, some secret joke. I think back to a hen do where she heard Cameron’s story and how heavy that would have made her heart. Even he looks over now and there’s emotion to see his daughter treated so sweetly by an almost stranger.
‘Your parents told me everything. About Mike? They explained that was why you weren’t straight with me.’
I intervene immediately. ‘I am so sorry if I hurt you by lying to you. That was never my intention,’ I say, twisting my lips around.
‘I think I get that now. You were just scared I wouldn’t get it. It’s a unique thing.’
‘It’s kinda weird.’
‘No, what’s weird is that you thought it would make me like you any less.’
